Tag Archive for: lamb

Wahoo! Grill

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/21/23

Nestled in a secret garden off College Ave, Wahoo! Grill has been serving Decatur for 18 years and we know why they love it. The moment you walk in the door you’re greeted with an indoor-outdoor vibe, in the main dining space, while outside a large patio that feels secluded. On the menu, a wide variety of options abound from Wahoo fish to lamb to southern staples, as well as a great cocktail menu and desserts. Let’s explore. 

Starting with their signature Grilled Wahoo Sofrito that’s tender yet meaty and topped with a tomato forward Spanish sofrito sauce, earthy, crunchy asparagus, and an earthy, seasoned savory risotto underneath. OR go for their new menu item, the grilled half rack of lamb, our favorite bite of the day! Succulent and tender, well-seasoned lamb, the rhubarb sauce underneath is sweet and juxtaposed the savory meat. Then, paired with a sharp and herbaceous potatoes au gratin and earthy asparagus!  

Plus, Wahoo! Grill’s cocktail program is “perfection” with this Pina en la pina is a fresh and tangy pina colada style drink with a great tang, cream, and dash of nutmeg. And for the finale, make sure to sample the bread pudding; it’s grandmother’s recipe! It is warm and rich, stuffed with raisins topped with a creamy bourbon glaze. OMG! 

Other menu highlights include the Pimento cheese Fritters! They are sinful crispy bites stuffed with pimento cheese inside then a sharp and a sweet spicy tomato sauce underneath! Also, their solid fried green tomatoes that are crispy, perfectly breaded outside, slightly crisp yet tender tomato inside, then a balsamic drizzle for brightness and cool goat cheese to round out the bite. They typically come with shrimp, but we got without.  

Fried chicken, a staple of Wahoo! Grill’s menu, is plump and tender, and has a great crunch outside. Paired with collard greens that are rich, spicy and savory, as well as crunchy warm fries. Finish it off with, A crime of passion, an herbaceous and floral gin cocktail mixed with juicy passion fruit and lime, then a rose petal rim to dress it up! 

Wahoo Safrito
Patio
Fried Chicken
Inside
Fried Green Tomatoes
Pimento Cheese Fritters
Pina en la Pina
A Crime of Passion
Rack of Lamb
Bread Pudding

IL Localino: A Little Spot Big On Flavor

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/1/20

Stuffed with an array of Japanese lanterns intermingling with twinkle lights and a large wine wall, Il Localino in between the Highlands and Inman Park is a little place serving up larger than life flavors. From the earthy and mellow burrata salad, pitch perfect rigatoni Bolognese, the rich and savory Lamb Osso Bucco, signature cocktails, and right down to the meatballs, there’s nothing little about Il Localino, including two of the nicest, warmest owners around! Let’s take a walk around the menu, warning, this is going to make you hungry.

The pair of cocktails that were recommended, Espresso Martini and Purple rain, we’re both fantastic. The favorite of the bunch was the Espresso Martini with its stout coffee flavor that mixes with the booziness of the alcohol and a comes with dash of sugar on the rim for something sweet. We could sip on this all day and just relax! This has ended up being one of our favorite cocktails we’ve had all year. The other cocktail was the Purple Rain that muddles blueberries and lime with vodka. This beauty comes to life with a sassy and tart sweet one-two punch. If you’re looking for a patio sipper, this one is for you.

A simple, classic, Italian feast was presented to us starting with an impeccable burrata and arugula salad. With a mellow, and light burrata, the soft cheese is paired with the earthiness and spice of the arugula and lathered in a deep and rich balsamic drizzle. All the flavors together with the crunch of the lettuce is a solid salad that’s a precursor to a fantastic Italian feast. Save some room because, the rigatoni Bolognese reminds you that a good, staple pasta plate can be just as amazing as anything fancy. Starting with the fresh pasta that was cooked in that sweet spot between al dente and super soft, the rigatoni itself was hefty and memorable. Topping it with the meaty, savory, tangy, Bolognese sauce and you have a rich and perfect plate of deliciousness. This is one of the best pasta dishes we’ve had this year and is a MUST try.

Just when you think your dinner can’t get any better, enters the Lamb Osso Bucco! A beautiful lamb shank that literally will fall off the bone is a rich and meaty piece of perfection. Then, it’s cooked in a deep and savory sauce that intertwines lemon, rosemary, and slightly creamy into one magnificent bite. The rosemary and lemon really brighten up the dish and create a balance to juxtapose between the richness of the meat and the delicateness of the sauce. Plus, the best accoutrement you could put with this dish is the cheesy polenta and marinated mushrooms. Our tip is to mix up the polenta, meat, sauce, and mushrooms into one bite. Insert mind blown emoji here. The pasta and the lamb were both so good, we actually couldn’t decide what we enjoyed more. Both dishes are something you need to put on your to-do list!

What would you want to try when you go to Il Localino? Thinking we’ll try one of the long list of specials like the sea bass next time paired with a fresh white wine glass. Salut!

Ocean Wave: Mind Blowing Sushi

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/3/20

Down in the middle of the Virginia Highlands, Ocean Wave has got to be one of THE sushi destinations in all of Atlanta. From the moment you enter the building, twinkle lights greet you and the sound of drinks being shaken behind the bar. They have top-shelf cocktails, delicious sushi, tons of fried rice and entrees, as well as a good selection of appetizers, so let’s dive into some of those Yummi dishes and cocktails. Full steam food adventure ahead!

We’re not monkeying around about the superior cocktails at Ocean Wave! We sipped and loved the Monkey Business Martini that combined vodka, coconut rum, pineapple and cranberry. We declared it’s a tiki party in your mouth, boozy up front, then smoothing out into a frothy, sweet tiki drink on the backend. It was a great balance of flavors that’s easy to drink any time of year, but we can imagine sitting on the beach under the shadow of an umbrella, drink in hand. A light breeze through our hair, can you feel it?

We will get to the sushi in a moment, but we sampled a few other good dishes that included the Satay Chicken, KA Proud Lamb, and something we’ve NEVER tried before, Spicy Spaghetti. First, the Satay Chicken was very tender, and the peanut sauce and cucumber salad were a great pairing, especially the salad. It was sweet and went well with the savory of the chicken. A good bite! From there we tried the Spicy Spaghetti, which mimics a traditional spaghetti with a Thai flare. We’ve never had anything like it! Spicy, savory, and deep from the spice of the Thai chili sauce, tender chicken, and super juicy tomatoes. Maybe more of spaghetti on steroids? Yeah, that sounds about right. Super good!

The best of the entrees was the Ka Proud Lamb. The sauce was DELECTIBLE with a slight spice up front and rich deep flavor on the back that went perfect with the mushrooms and vegetables in the sauce. The lamb was tender and smoky with a delicate char. The fried rice was perfect with the sauce and lamb. What a great bite when all combined! Plus, we had a little fun with our food. We put the sauce from the lamb on the Spicy Spaghetti. Pretty tasty, we must say.

We tried two different rolls, the Dancing Dragon and the Yummi Yummi. Dancing Dragon was a good balance of sweet and spicy with tempura on the inside and eel and avocado on the outside. The variation between the eel, which was sweet, and the creamy avocado, were a great one-two punch of flavor. Add wasabi and soy sauce, it brings out the flavor of both! Even though this roll was super good, nothing could compare to the Yummi Yummi. A Trio of fresh yellow tail, tuna, salmon stuffed with cream cheese and flash fried in a moat of delicious soy-based sauce. From the creaminess of the cream cheese mixed with the salty and freshness of the fish to the crunch of the fried rice, it was one dynamic bite. What made it even better? Wababi and soy sauce. Mouth dropped to the floor, was that really possible? WOW! Yummi is definitely one way to describe it. Mind blowing is another.

A special shout-out to our waitress who was a gracious hand-model, menu master, and willing food carrier to better light. She was top-notch! That’s the kind of service you’ll get at Ocean Wave. As you leave, the twinkling of the lights follows you down the street and you’ll dream about sushi for a few nights after.

Lily White: THE New Buckhead Hot Spot!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/26/19

From the moment you enter Lily White in Buckhead you get a Miami vibe with the pops of neon, pristine marble, and sleek design. With stunning and tasty signature cocktails, good service, stellar food, and a parking lot on property, they could quickly become THE hot spot in Buckhead! It’s time to join us for our food adventure filled with lamb, kabobs, hummus, beats, and more.

Starting with the cocktails, we sampled two fun cocktails called Yalda and Hydration. The Yalda with Grey Goose Vodka, pomegranate, and pineapple was hands down our favorite with a creamy, frothy, smooth sip up front and tart and crisp on the finish. It’s one of those cocktails you can have any time of year and a real crowd pleaser. We’ll be back for it! The other cocktail, Hydration, was good, as well with gin, cucumber, St. Germain, mint, and more. This boozy beauty is one pretty lady and you feel high class when you hold the rose gold cup. From the booze and tart up front cools on the end with cucumber and mint. It would be a good summer sipper to pair with a light salad! Next time, we’re in for the Saint-Tropez.

Diving into the Mazze, we picked the wings, beet salad, and spread sampler that included hummus, tzatziki, labneh, and Mirza Ghasemi. Starting with the beet salad, if you don’t know much about us, one thing you need to know is we love beets. Restaurants don’t include beets enough in their fare, and we applaud Lily White for including a beet starter! This one was earthy with the tart and salty of the balsamic paired well with a little bit of crunch and sweet of the candied walnuts and the cream of the goat cheese. We were impressed how well the beets and goat cheese went together. Beyond the lightness of the salad, the wings were the right amount of meat, crunch and sauce. The sauce was sweet with a slight sauce of the harissa, a solid wing dish! Finally, the spread sampler is a must-get. The hummus is some of the best we’ve ever had, and we eat A LOT of hummus. With just the right amount of salt, garlic and herbs, it’s a perfect hummus bite you can eat with a spoon! Another stunner was Mirza Ghasemi, which we’d never had and now we know we love it. From the smoky eggplant that perfectly paired with the tomato and garlic, served warm, went great with the bread and veggies. Beyond that we’d recommend mixing all four dips together for one glorious bite piled high on a piece of crunchy pita. That’s the ticket.

Moving on to a selection that was cooked on an open flame, the Chicken Kabobs could have been boring, but this was anything like that! Juicy, well-seasoned, and perfectly grilled, it’s delicious! Paired with a charred and grilled tomato topped with oil and herbs to the cranberry in the rice, it’s a good meal and come hungry, you could split it!

Recommended by our waitress, the lamb shank was TO DIE FOR. There isn’t one thing we would change about this dish. The lamb is marinated and cooked for hours and literally falls off the bone. The herbs, rich, and savory in the sauce to the pop of the couscous, to the Israeli raisins that give it a tart and sweet ending, it’s one of those bites you close your eyes and just savor. Pro tip: Take the meat off the bone then mix it with all the other elements on the plate. PERFECTION. Also, I re-heated it for lunch the next day, it was still unbelievable!

Did we mention that Lily White has its own parking lot it shares with the other businesses in the complex? So, weeknights and some non-busy weekends, you can come, park, eat and not have to worry about getting side-swiped or your meter running out. We all know Buckhead can be a challenge for parking. Win-win. We can’t wait to go back and try the Seabass and Salmon. Are you in to join us?

Bulla Gastrobar: Who Loves Sangria?

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/3/19

Cozy and warm in atmosphere, Bulla Gastropub has an expansive menu with a mix of fresh, light tapas to hearty large plates, as well as a hefty wine list and some of the best Sangria Blanca in Atlanta. We’d argue the best! When we went it was before Christmas, so they had decked out the tables with small poinsettias and bows, and a beautiful Christmas tree with tons of presents under it. Being in the festive spirit, let’s find out what there is to celebrate about the menu. Hint: it’s celebratory!

Being more of a white wine gal, I’ve been thinking about how much I really like Sangria. Leave it to Bulla to invite us to National Sangria Day to discover what is probably the best Sangria Blanca I’ve had in a very long time. John liked it too, but he’s more a beer drinker. From the bubble of the cava to the sweetness of the fresh fruit, this pretty lady drinks refreshing and cool. It’s a good, year-round sipper!

Starting with the tapas, the Lacon Al La Gallega is a smoked ham dish sliced very thin like a tartare topped with arugula, dressing, and potato dollops. It ate like a light salad, a very light bite with a ton of flavor and the meat adds salt and heft. Tip: Take the dollops and wrap them in the arugula and ham. It’s creamy, savory, and the right amount of salt. We also got a Charcuterie plate that consisted of Manchego and Murica Al Vino cheese, as well as Jamon Serrano (ham) and Lomo Iberico. They definitely have a great selection of meats and cheeses that come with olives, crisp bread, and candied nuts. Our favorite was the earthy, nutty, sweet, and sharp Manchego cheese that paired well with the cured pork loin (Lomo Iberico). A great little snack with the bread and nuts.

We thought we got the Salmon Carpaccio but in looking at what we got versus the menu, it looks like we got the 5 oz Salmon large plate. So, moving on to the Platos Fuertes the Salmon was paired with spinach, chickpeas, and a lemon cream. The meat itself was perfectly cooked at medium and topped with a cool lemon cream that added balance between the meat and the accompaniments. The spinach and chickpeas were crunchy and earthy and mixed well with the Salmon. Overall, a great bite.

The other large plate is what we always want to try every time we get to taste a menu: Lamb! Lamb is my (Liz’s) favorite meat and this one did not disappoint. The Lamb Chop itself was fall off the bone tender with a sweet and savory honey, thyme sauce. The sauce was delectable with what starts off as sweet to herbaceous of the thyme. So unique! Paired with charred kale, asparagus, and potato foam, a tasty bite with the meatiness of the lamb, creaminess of the potato foam, and earthiness of the charred kale, and brightness of the asparagus. So much flavor!

From the wonderful meal, to the coziness and warmness of the atmosphere, to the attentive staff, Bulla Gastropub is a great place to take friends and family for an intimate meal. You’ll enjoy it.